BACK TO SCHOOL

More Than one

ewish career choices
have taken many
forms over the decades.
"In the 1940s and '50s, Jews
developed careers as profes-
sors since teaching was a pop-
ular way to avoid anti-Semi-
tism," says Rabbi William
Rudolph. The 1960s, marked
by intense idealism, saw a
surge in social work and
"helping" professions like the
Peace Corps, psychology and
psychiatry.
In the 1970s, inflation made
economics a major factor in
career decisions. In the '80s
and now, says Rabbi Rudolph,
associate international direc-
tor of the B'nai B'rith Hillel
Foundation in Washington,
D.C., the "me generation"
concept plays a major role in
the career choices Jews make.
"It's a very expensive
world," Rabbi Rudolph says,
"and students feel they have
to make a lot of money to sur-
vive and succeed."
Jeffrey Ross, director of
campus affairs/higher educa-
tion at the Anti-Defamation
League of B'nai B'rith in New
York, N.Y., agrees that eco-
nomics is a factor in job

ej

choices but insists there is
more to the job equation than
economics alone. He cites the
changing position of Jews in
society. Formerly, Jews found
their niche in professions like
medicine, law and specific
academic disciplines rather
than in major corporations of
banking — albeit not by
choice. When the barriers to
certain career paths came
down, Jews moved into previ-
ously "closed" fields like cor-
porations and financial
businesses.
Now, however, the lure of in-
vestment banking and Wall
Street may have diminished
as national attention has
focused illegal and illicit prac-
tices in the financial indus-
tries. And the drive to get a
Masters of Business Adminis-
tration may be slowing down.
"The glory of the MBA has
faded somewhat because a lot
of MBA's are out of work,"
Rabbi Rudolph points out.
Moreover, medical careers
have declined in popularity,
even among Jews. Two rea-
sons for this trend are the
time it takes to get a medical
degree and the increase in

Today's college
students are
picking careers
based on their
ability to "help,"
not just make
money.

malpractice suits and in-
surance. Similarly, dentistry,
once a growing field, is on the
decline.
These days career choices in
the Jewish population seem
to parallel those of the
general population. So what
is on the career agenda for to-
day's college students? A
group of researchers at the
University of California in
Los Angeles (UCLA) is track-
ing these trends with an
annual national survey of col-
lege freshmen, according to

11•1110111111

■1■ 1=11

AMY KOSSOFF

Special to The Jewish News

David Raphael, director of
field services for B'nai B'rith
in Washington, D.C.
The most current study,
"American Freshmen Na-
tional Norms for 1989," found
that volunteering is on the
rise, and campus activism is
increasing to a level reminis-
cent of the 1960s. "Students
are more concerned about the
economy, and drug use is way
down," says Mr. Raphael.
With these behavioral
changes come shifting values
regarding career choices as
well. The drive to major in
business is on the decline,
affirms Mr. Raphael. In 1987,
the percentage of student
business majors reached an
all-time high at more than 27
percent surveyed. That num-
ber has dropped three per-
cent, to about 24 percent in
1989, suggesting a slight
decrease in business-related
career preparation.
Likewise, the entreprenu-
rial spirit seems to be fading
somewhat as well. The num-
ber of students saying that it
is "very important to be suc-
cessful in my own business"
is declining, from 51 percent

in 1987 to 45 percent in 1989.
This number is the lowest
since 1967.
As business and specific
professional disciplines de-
cline in popularity, it appears
that teaching professions may
be back "in" again, according
to Mr. Raphael. In 1982, for
example, less than five per-
cent surveyed listed teaching
as a career goal. That number
has increased significantly: in
the current study, more than
eight percent of the students
were interested in teaching
careers. Similarly, the arts
and psychology are being
seen as more favorable career
choices.
These trends are also sup-
ported by other dynamics,
such as renewed government
support for the teaching in-
dustry and an apparent "re-
turn to the 1960s type of men-
tality" in terms of social
values, according to Mr.
Raphael. "This year, 41 per-
cent of the students said it
was 'very important to in-
fluence social values' " he ex-
plains, noting that this is an
all-time high for this
measure.

THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS

95